July 14, 2011 10:23 AM CDTJuly 15, 2011 11:32 PM CDTThousands line up, stampede to get on wait list for housing vouchers in Dallas County

Thousands line up, stampede to get on wait list for housing vouchers in Dallas County

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David Woo/Staff Photographer

A Dallas County sheriff''s deputy monitors the line for rental assistance voucher applications Thursday morning outside the Jesse Owens Memorial Complex in Dallas. Thousands of people turned out to apply as Dallas County's housing agency started accepting applications for the first time in five years.

Before the sun came out Thursday morning, thousands of people had gathered around the Jesse Owens Memorial Complex in the Red Bird area.

The reward: a spot on a waiting list for Dallas County housing vouchers to help them pay the rent.

When, at 6 a.m., officials said it was time to form a line, a frantic rush ensued — the latest sign of people’s desperation for help in tough times. There were no serious injuries, but video footage of the chaos received national attention.

“Once they said we could go on the property, it was a stampede, a circus,” said Adelia Frierson, a 24-year-old single mother applying for the federally funded assistance.

Zachary Thompson, the county’s director of health and human services, said the turnout once again demonstrates the need for the Housing Choice Vouchers, also known as Section 8. By the end of the day, about 5,000 households had applied. Applicants for the housing vouchers are not required to live in Dallas County.

The hard-to-get vouchers pay a portion of the rent based on household income. This was the first time Dallas County had opened its waiting list since 2006, and applicants may have to wait at least two years to actually receive vouchers.

The Dallas Housing Authority and the city of Plano each saw similar responses from the public in May when they took applications for the first time in years.

“A lot of times people are shocked there are so many people who are low income and need assistance,” Thompson said. “That’s just the reality of the economy we are living in.”

More than 21,000 applied with DHA, mostly online, for 5,000 spots on a waiting list. DHA had not accepted applications since 2006. In Plano, 8,000 people applied for 100 available vouchers.

DHA and Plano accepted most of their applications online to avoid crowds, but they faced technical problems with the process. Crowd control issues have been a problem in many places, including Atlanta in August, when 62 were injured.

The county has about 3,800 vouchers at any given time and will distribute them to applicants as they become available. The vouchers do not expire, but some recipients become self-sufficient and no longer need the help. Others may have their vouchers revoked for violating program rules.

Applicants on Thursday ranged from young single mothers pushing strollers to older adults with nothing but a small Social Security income. Many in line have jobs but barely earn minimum wage.

Eanisha Fields said she works on an assembly line job at a cup manufacturing company but does not earn enough to support herself and her two children. The 33-year-old Dallas woman arrived at the sports complex after midnight Thursday to get a good spot in line.

“It was crowded,” she said.

Tashia Moss of Richardson has a job as a home health worker — but it does not provide enough to cover basic expenses.

“I work; I just don’t make enough money,” said the 32-year-old, who is trying to support two teenagers.

While a few people brought water and umbrellas to cope with the summer heat, the increasingly hot sun became a problem for some.

Using a cane, Jackie Barrett slowly walked to the front of the line to get help around 8 a.m. The Lancaster woman said she could not stand in line any longer. She had arrived about 4 a.m. County officials provided immediate help to disabled people.

Barrett said she has fallen on hard times since her husband died on Christmas Eve after an operation. The 57-year-old said she cannot make it on her small disability income.

“I’ve been doing so bad ever since my husband died,” Barrett said. She applied for a voucher from DHA in May but did not get on the waiting list. After her long wait, Barrett filled out an application with the county and drove home by 9 a.m.

Some who arrived early were frustrated that they were unable to get good places in line when the county opened the sports complex.

“It didn’t matter who got here first,” said Daisy Emerson, 20, who was still among the first to apply after arriving at 4 a.m. “People who came yesterday shouldn’t have even wasted their time.”

Connie White, 61, arrived about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday but lost her place when the line moved, hampered by a bad back and knee problems.

“I need all the help I can get,” she said of the assistance the vouchers would provide.

One resident did not get the chance to apply at all. Claudia Marshall said she is disabled and could not leave her home to apply.

Thompson, the county’s director of health and human services, said anyone could send a representative. Marshall, who called The Dallas Morning News, said she had no one to send.

The 67-year-old Dallas woman said a better process should be in place for the disabled, noting that online applications were helpful with DHA.

“They ought to know better,” she said. “That’s totally unacceptable.”

Thompson said he would reassess the county’s process after news reports of the stampede. He said the county did not allow people on the facility property because officials did not want overnight camping. Still, he admitted that the county could not prevent people from arriving the night before.

“This is what you have to go through,” Thompson said. “It’s like when someone wants to get tickets to a sports event or the latest iPad.”

Thompson said that the Sheriff’s Department and Dallas Fire-Rescue did a good job of managing the large crowds.

“People are going to line up, and we just have to control it when it happens,” he said. “We were prepared. They got that thing back to order in seconds.”

khorner@dallasnews.com;

tbenning@dallasnews.com

VOUCHER DEMAND

Dallas County accepted applications on Thursday only. The city of Fort Worth will open its waiting list for vouchers at 8 a.m. July 25 through 5 p.m. July 29. Applicants may live in any county.

Applications must be submitted online at www.apply4housing.com/FortWorth/, although people with disabilities may come in person. For more information, go to: www.ftwha.org/publications/hcv%20online/waitlist/2011%20Flier%20for%20agencies.pdf.

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